Thankfully, low boiler pressure is not dangerous even if it goes down to zero on the gauge. Although it isn’t harmful, constant low pressure will make the boiler perform poorly. As the system pressure gets too low, it will put strain on the boiler and you will end up paying higher bills. If the cause is not found and fixed, the boiler will eventually stop working and switch off altogether, and refuse to start.
What should boiler pressure be?
The ideal range for a boiler pressure reading should be between 1 bar and 2 bar. This is when the heating system is cold, it will increase when the boiler is turned on. If your boiler pressure often gets too low, and you have to top it up regularly, it would indicate a bigger problem that needs to be investigated further.
How can I check boiler pressure?
To determine what the ideal pressure reading should be, check the boiler user manual. Or you can find out this information from the manufacturer’s website. To check the pressure on the boiler, locate where the pressure reading is given. Some boilers have a digital display to give the reading, while others have a pressure gauge. On a gauge, see that the needle is in the green area, which indicates good working pressure.
If the pressure gauge needle goes into the red zone, or below 1 bar, this indicates pressure is getting low.
What causes low boiler pressure?
- Water leak.
- Faulty Expansion Vessel.
- Pressure relief valve.
- Bleeding air out of radiators.
Symptoms of low boiler pressure
- No hot water in the taps.
- Boiler turns off.
- Radiators are cold.
- Boiler won’t turn back on.
- Boiler makes unfamiliar noises.
Common low pressure fault/error codes on boilers
- Ideal – F1
- Worcester Bosch 8000 – 1017W
- Vaillant – F22
- Viessmann – F1
- Alpha – E10
- Baxi – E119
- Ferroli – F37
- Potterton – E118
Steps to fix low boiler pressure
- Turn off the boiler and wait until the radiators have cooled.
- Find the filling loop which is on the boiler pipework.
- Open both the filling loop valves to let water into the system. Valves are open when they are in line with the pipes.
- Close both the valves when the pressure gauge rises to between 1 and 1.5 bar. Do this by turning them back to their previous positions.
- Switch the boiler back on. Wait for 2 minutes while it goes through its startup sequence.
- Press the reset button if any fault code comes on the display.
- Keep an eye on the pressure gauge. Over the next hour check that the pressure doesn’t get low again. If it does, you will need to call an engineer to find and fix the fault.
Is it time for a new boiler?
Signs such as constant low pressure, high pressure, loud operation noise, frequent breakdowns, radiators taking long to heat up, unusual odour, and higher energy bills all indicate that you need a new boiler. When you start seeing these signs, call a qualified gas engineer to inspect the boiler and its parts.
If you have an old boiler with problems like those mentioned above, it is time to seriously look into getting a brand new boiler.
The Trustpilot excellent rated Boilercentral.com is currently giving a Buy Now Pay in 2023 offer on new boiler purchases with No Deposit required. Check them out on the banner below:
